Grating or ventilator



W. H. LOWN.

Patented May 16, 1922.

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WALTER H. LOWN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO KERLOWSTEEL FLOORING 00., 0F JERSEY.

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW GRATING 0R VENTILATOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed August 30, 1921. Serial No. 496,803.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VALTER H. LoWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gratings or Ventilators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ventilators or gratings of the type formed by a plurality of substantially straight or longitudinal strips and a number of intermediate or spacing members separating the strips and the grating being adapted to be used for a variety of purposes, such for example, as on a sidewalk, or to form a floor. The ObJBCt of this invention is to provide an improved device of the above class which shall be simple and rigid in construction, less likely to become clogged with dirt, and capable of forming a good tread surface or foothold in any direction.

To these and other ends my invention consists in certain improvements and combination of parts as will be pointed out with particularity in the claims appended to this specification.

In the drawings- Figure 1 shows one form of my grating.

Figure 2 shows another form of grating in which the bends in the spacing members are made less sharp and with a bigger radius of curvature.

Figure 3 shows still another form of grat- Iiigure 4 is a section on the line P4 of Figure 1.

In many of the gratings of the type described above which are in use today the spacing members extend longitudinally but are bent or curved to keep the straight strips separated. Many of these constructions are open to the objection of having dirt collect in the small angle between the longitudinal or straight strips and the spacing members where a spacing member contacts with the longitudinal strip. Besides overcoming this disadvantage my invention affords a better foothold for pedestrians, while combining the virtues of the old constructions.

From the drawings it will appear that the numeral 1 indicates the longitudinal or substantially straight strips which are separated by the intermediate or spacing members 2 also longitudinal in extent but bent to contact with the adjacent strips 1 at successive intervals throughout their length. That port1on of the spacing members which is parallel with or contiguous to the strips 1 is indicated by the numeral 3. Instead of having the intermediate portions of the s acing members form a small acute angle with the parallel portions or the strips 1, I preferably bend the spacing member at each end of the parallel portion 3 to substantially a right angle as shown by the portions 4 in the drawing, and thereby not only reduce the likelihood of particles of dirt becoming jammed between the spacing members and longitudinal stri as, but since the portions 4 are substantialiy normal to the longitudinal strips, :1 better tread surface or foothold is provided for pedestrians walking along or longitudinally of the grating. The portion 5 of the spacing strips which lies between the aforementioned portions 4 is shown as being preferably disposed at an obtuse angle to the portions 4, but it will of stock material from which the strips 1 may be cut to the desired length and the spacing members bent to their desired shape in a press or die. Where the spacing members and longitudinal strips contact, they may be joined by means of welding or by means of bolts, rivets or other appropriate securing devices.

The grating shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as that in Figure 1, except for the fact that the bend at each end of the portions 5 of the spacing members are made with a greater radius of curvature.

Figure 3 shows a modified form of grating in which the spacing members do not contact on opposite sides of a longitudinal strip at the same point as is the case in Figures 1 and 2, and for this reason the longitudinal strips 1 are better able to flex and locally take up transverse strains without such strains spreading to the adjacent portions of the grating.

From Figure 4 is will be apparent that my grating is made preferably with the spacing members of the same depth and flush with the top and bottom of the longitudinal strips, but it will be understood that my grating may also be made with the spacing members of less depth than the longitudinal strips if desired.

Among the advantages of my invention may be enumerated that a rigid, durable grating or ventilator of simple construction is formed which is not capable of having the longitudinal or straight strips easily twisted or bent out of shape. There is also less liability for dirt to collect because the angle formed where the spacing members join the lon itudinal strips is substantially a right ang e instead of being relatively small and acute. Because the portions 4 of the spacing members are substantially normal to the longitudinal strips, a convenient and positive foothold is provided'for a person walking either lengthwise along the grating, across the same, or at any angle thereto; that is, a good foothold is obtained when the pedestrians foot is normal to and along the edge of a spacing or transverse member of the grating, as Well as when atany angle thereto. Another advantage of my invention resides in the ease with which the grating may be made into any desired dimensions from preformed or stock parts. Because the transverse members and the longitudinal strips may be bolted-or detachably secured, it will be readily understood to be an easy matter to add to or take away more longitudinal strips and transverse members to vary the dimensions of the grating as desired. Another advantage resides in the ability of the middle portion 5 of the spacing member in each modification to flex without distortion of the longitudinal strips, because the provision of more than two bends, in this case four bends, between successive points of contact with the longitudinal strips enables these bends to take up any stress on the spacing member with less likelihood of distortingthe longitudinal strips. The four bends referred to between centers of successive points of contact are the two bends between portions 3 and 4: and the two bends between portions 4: and 5.

I claim: I

1. In a grating a pair of longitudinal strips and a spacing member therebetween,

' the spacing member having staggered portions thereof parallel and in contact with said strips, other portions substantially normal to the first mentioned portions, and still' other portions disposed at an obtuse angle to said second mentioned portions of the spacing member.

2. In a grating, the combination with a plurality of longitudinal strips, of a spacing member therebetween having portions thereof contiguous to said longitudinal strips at staggered points of contact, the spacing member between some of the successive points of contact with the longitudinal strips being provided with more than two distinct bends therein, the spacing member adjacent a contact portion being disposed at a greater angle to said longitudinal strips than is the central portion of the spacing member between the said successive points of contact with the longitudinal strips.

In a grating, the combination with a plurality of longitudinal strips, of a spacing member therebetween having portions thereof parallel with and secured to said. longitudinal strips at spaced staggered portions of contact, the spacing member between successive contact portions being provided with at least four bends therein, the central portion of the spacing member between successive contact portions being disposed at a smaller angle to the parallel portions than its end portions contiguous with these parallel portions. 85

4. A floor rating comprising in combination longitu inal strips and spacing members between said strips, thespacing members being contiguous to the strips for short lengths, other portions of the spacing members at each end of said short lengths or contiguous portions being disposed substantially normal to said strips, and yet other portions of the spacing members between said contiguous portions or short lengths being disposed at an acute angle to said strips but at an obtuse angle to the second mentioned or normal portions of the spacing members.

5. A grating comprising a number of uniformly spaced longitudinal strips and a plurality of spacing members having portions thereof substantially normal to one another and a third portion to said member longer than one of said first mentioned portions and lying between pairs of said normal portions.

6. A grating comprising longitudinal members and spacing members bridged between the longitudinal members, the spacing 110 members comprising staggered portions parallel with the lon 'tudinal members, a sharp and substantially right an led bend at each end of each of the paralle portions, another portion having two bends therein 115 and joining pairs of said right angled bends.

7. A floor grating comprising longitudinal strips and spacing members therebetween and contacting with the longitudinal strips along staggered parallel portions, said spac- 9 ing members comprising portions substantially normal to and at each end of said parallel portions, and still other portions connecting said normal ortions, two of said spacing members being oined with a longi- 125 tudinal strip in the same portions of its length.

8. In a grating, the combination with a plurality of longitudinal members, of spacing members between the longitudinal mem- 130 bers, said spacing members having portions contiguous with and substantially parallel to the longitudinal members, another portion normal to and at each end of said contiguous members and of not greater length than one half the distance between the longitudinal members, and still other portions connecting said second mentioned portions.

9. In a grating, a plurality of longitudinal members, a spacing member between said longitudinal members, portions of the spacing member being contiguous with and secured to opposite faces of the longitudinal members, a second portion of the spacing member being substantially normal to a first mentioned portion at an end thereof and a third portion of the spacing member being spaced from the longitudinal members, and connecting adjacent ends of two of said second mentioned portions.

10. A grating comprising a plurality of uniformly spaced longitudinal parts and other parts disposed between said longitudinal parts, said other parts comprising staggered portions having their faces contiguous with the longitudinal parts, second portions substantially normal to the staggered portions at least one end thereof, and a third portion connected to an end of a second portion and angularly disposed with respect to the first two mentioned portions.

11. In a floor grating, the combination with a plurality of longitudinal strips, of

spacing members arranged between said strips and secured thereto, each of said spacing members having substantially parallel and staggered portions adjacent said longitudinal strips where the spacing member is secured to the longitudinal strips, other or second portions of the spacing member being sharply bent away from the longitudinal strip at each end of the parallel portions. These second mentioned portions extending only part way across the space between the longitudinal strips, and still other or third portions of the spacing member arranged at an angle to and connected wit-h thesecond mentioned portion at each end of the third mentioned portions.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

WALTER H. LOWN. 

